How to Get an Agent aka How To Break Into Acting?
A blog about breaking into the acting industry.
The ultimate guide to getting an agent and breaking into the acting industry.
How to Get an Agent aka How To Break Into Acting?
A blog about breaking into the acting industry.
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An agent’s job is to build your career as an actor by getting you auditions for roles in TV, film, commercials, etc. … As an actor your job is to get auditions and then book work – it’s that simple! … Your resume does not need to be fancy or have all the details of your professional training on it …
I received a question on my blog asking how to get an agent and break into acting. I thought I’d share it with you. It’s a good question, and worthwhile for anyone who is starting out in this business.
Here’s the question:
“How do you get an agent? Is it true that once you get one agent, they can help you get other agents? Also, how much money does an actor make in the beginning?”
The short answer to these questions is that getting an agent is about doing your homework and being prepared. You need to know what you’re looking for in an agent, what an agent is supposed to do for you, and have a good idea of what types of roles are right for you. It’s all about matching up your strengths with opportunities. If you’re not sure of your strengths (or weaknesses) seek some professional advice to help guide you.
In the case of getting an agent, when I asked around I found out the names of some people who were well-respected and whom others had had success with. I then contacted them all by phone or mail (at that time there was no email), sent them photos and resumes, and asked for interviews.
It’s not easy to break into acting. You want to get an agent, but you don’t know how to get one or even if you need one. You’ve submitted your headshot and resume to casting directors and production companies, but nothing has happened. You’re cold reading for casting directors and getting callbacks, but you aren’t booking jobs.
You are getting frustrated because you want to be an actor, but you don’ t know how to break into the acting industry. You’re a beginner, but you feel like there is no help for beginners in Hollywood.
I hear ya! I took my first acting class in 2002. I experienced all the frustrations of trying to figure out how to become an actor and get an agent. I learned the hard way that there is not much help for new actors in Hollywood and that most of what I was reading on other websites was wrong or incomplete.
I decided that when I got my SAG card, I would teach new actors what I had learned so they could avoid the frustration and mistakes that I made while trying to become an actor.
So here are my thoughts on how to break into acting (plus some advice from other industry professionals). Note: this blog focuses on Los Angeles because it’s where I live
Ok, so you are an actor and you want to get an agent. You need a few things in place before an agent will even look at you. First and foremost, you need professional headshots. A headshot is basically a picture that shows your face. Make sure the person who takes your pictures knows what they are doing. You can usually find great photographers by finding casting directors, theatre companies and other actors who have great shots and asking them who took their photo.
Next, you need a resume of your past acting credits. Your credits should be listed on your resume in reverse chronological order starting with your most recent credit at the top of the page and moving down to your oldest credit at the bottom. Your resume should not exceed one page and should include all of your relevant experience including television, film, theatre and voice over work (if applicable). Do not list anything that does not pertain to acting or entertainment unless it is schooling (i.e., I would not list that I was a waitress or worked in a grocery store unless I was trying to get into commercial work). Actors often make the mistake of listing everything they have ever done on their resumes, and that is a big no-no!
You should also have a cover letter ready when approaching
The first thing an actor has to do is find an agent. The agency represents the actor and helps him find a job. An agent is like a manager or an attorney, but they only get paid when you work. The agency takes 10% of your salary as a fee for helping you find work.
An agent will only represent you if they believe they can get work for you. Agents are extremely picky about who they choose to represent because the agency only makes money if it finds work for the actors it represents.
You can see how this works in the real world:
A casting director is looking for someone to play the part of a young man in his 20s who is athletic, good looking, and can act. He needs someone to fill this part by tomorrow at 9am. Any talent agent that has an actor that fits this description will call the casting director and submit their actor for the part. The casting director will then listen to all of the submissions, read over their resumes, headshots and reels, and then choose someone for the part based on all of these factors (along with some unknown magic which includes how much sleep he got last night). If you don’t have an agent submitting you for parts, than no one would ever see your
Often when I am speaking with people about getting an agent, they ask me if I can refer them to my agent. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. It depends on the situation.
Whether or not I refer a person to my agent has nothing to do with whether or not he or she is a good actor. It has everything to do with whether or not that particular actor is a good person for me to refer to my agent. So what does that mean?
Well, when you are referred to an agent by an actor, the agent is going to call that actor for information about you. The questions an agent will ask will be very similar to the questions you would ask if you were hiring some one for your business; your job is your business.
The first question any professional will ask you is ‘do you know this person?’ This is because your answer will determine what kind of reference check they are going to do. If you say ‘yes’ they will want more information; they may also ask how well you know the person and where you know them from; if it’s a friend, maybe that’s all they need to know but if it’s someone from school than they will want more details so they can find out how trustworthy the school
There are many different types of agents. The most common agent you will hear about is a talent agent. Some people combine with their manager and become a talent/manager hybrid, but that’s not as common. A talent agent is someone who works on commission and gets 10% of your income. They are the ones responsible for booking your acting jobs.
Managers are different than agents in that they get paid a monthly fee instead of a commission. Typically the fee is between $100 – $250 a month, depending on the area you live in and the type of manager you have. Managers usually work with talent once they’ve been signed with an agent and are working consistently, but there are some managers who will take on clients without representation yet. A manager can be helpful in terms of advice and guidance, because often times they have more experience than an actor does, but an actor should be careful about how much advice they take from their manager. Some managers can tell you what to do every step of the way, which isn’t always helpful when it comes to developing your own unique voice as an artist.
The last type of representative you may encounter is called a “career consultant.” These people can be paid hourly or per session and will give you advice on what
